46 A SPANISH REFERENCE GRAMMAR

I have 'more books than (those which) I used to have. 220.

For augmentative and diminutive forms of adjectives, see z.ro, 113, 114.

L. POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES.

Subject pronouns   Corresponding possessive adjectives

Singular

yo   mi, mis or mio, -a, -os, -as, my, mine.

to   tu, tus, or tuyo, -a, -os, -as, thy, thine, your.

el, ella, Vd.   su, sus, or suyo, -a, -os, -as, his, her, hers, its, your, yours.

Plural

nosotros, -as   nuestro, -a, -os, -as, our, ours.

vosotros, -as   vuestro, -a, -os, -as, your, yours. ellos, ellas, Vds. su, sus, or suyo, -a, -os, -as, their, theirs, your, yours. 221.

I. The short forms precede their nouns, the longer follow or may be used as predicate adjectives: mi amigo, my friend, un amigo mio, a friend of mine; este libro es mio, this book is mine. 222.

2. Possessive adjectives agree, like any other adjectives, in gender and number with the nouns or pronouns they modify. They agree with the thing possessed rather than with the

INDEFINITE ADJECTIVES   47

possessor, as they do in English. El tiene sus libros, he has his, her, your books. 223.

3. It is evident that su and suyo are ambiguous because of the different possible meanings that nay be attributed to them. Clearness is obtained by adding de el, de ella, de Vd. ; de ellos, de ellas, de Vds. When these are added the possessive may be replaced by the definite article: tengo su libro de el, or, tengo el libro de el, I have his book. See 291, 323. 224.

For possessive pronouns see 318-323.

13. DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES.

este, esta, this; estos, estas, these (near the speaker)

ese, esa, that; esos, esas, those (near the person addressed)

aquel, aquella, that; aquellos, aquellas, those (distant from speaker and the one spoken to). 225.

I. Demonstrative adjectives usually precede their nouns (see 169).

If they follow they are quite emphatic: el hombre este, this man. 226.

2. Ese sometimes implies ridicule or disdain: el hombre ese, that contemptible man. 227. For demonstrative pronouns see 324-331.

14. INDEFINITE ADJECTIVES.   Those indefinites

that may be used as adjectives are alguno, some, ambos, both, cada, each, every, cualquier(a), any,